The Metabolic Highway – A Simple Understanding of Nutritional Health
- Nov 17, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 20, 2025
Ethan Hutcheson is a rising influence in the fitness and neuroscience space, fusing brain science with body training to create a niche and effective performance system.
I'm not a bad driver, I promise. It's just that I've gotten two speeding tickets in the past year, and it's made me realize some things about myself. First, even if I'm not the fastest one on the road, I will get pulled over if I pump my brakes just enough when I see a cop. Second, I'm inflicted with a horrible condition that I want to spread awareness for. That condition is called "really heavy foot on the pedal" syndrome. It's not my fault that the second I look away from my speedometer, I increase my speed by ten miles an hour. Pray for me, pray for your loved ones, and pray for anyone else afflicted with this awful condition. We should have a month dedicated to it. Come on, social awareness people, chop chop. You have a month to plan for.
All jokes aside, as a fitness and neuroscience coach, I like to take the events of my life and compare and apply them to the principles I share with my clients and community. A topic of common discussion with most is nutrition. The nutritional habits in my home country, the United States of America, can vary greatly and sometimes be considered "iffy" when it comes to balancing macronutrient ratios, calories in to calories out, micronutrients for efficient organ support, and our strange obsession with wanting to find the one and only method of eating that will cure all ailments like it's the fountain of youth. Yes, raw veganism and carnivore styles of eating have their place, but they should not be standard protocol for the mass population of people. This raises the question that we seem to have been asking for ages now, "What do I do for my nutrition in order to support my brain and body and reach my goals?" I decided to liken my problems on the road with the internal highway energy system of our individual metabolisms.
Our metabolisms retrieve and utilize two main sources of energy, being carbohydrates (think bread, rice, potatoes, sugar) and fats (think olive oil, cheese, avocados). Our digestive process is similar to the traffic patterns on a city highway. Imagine this, there are several lanes available for hundreds of thousands of vehicles to travel to and from their designated locations. In this scenario, compare the road lanes to the body's blood vessels, and the cars to energy sources. In the fast lane, cars naturally travel faster than other vehicles. Those cars are like glucose, or carbohydrates. That energy moves quickly from point A to point B and provides volatile output, allowing it to be utilized efficiently during periods of high demand, like intense weightlifting, high stress, and Zone 3 long-distance running.[4] The slower lanes to the right (to the left of my non-American friends) have other cars, semi-trucks, vans, buses, etc. that are going noticeably slower than the fast lane, but are efficient in their travels. These lanes are comparable to the digestion and transport of fats in the metabolism. All lanes go through toll booths, which act as the cellular mitochondria. The mitochondria help "produce" the final payment of energy, in this case, something called ATP. Problems arise in the body's highway when a traffic jam happens. What would that look like on a cellular level?
Say a slow vehicle decides to merge into the fast lane. The fast cars slow down, end up tailgating one another, try to change lanes, get stuck, rear-end another vehicle, and ultimately get pulled over for reckless driving because that one slow car decided to get in the way. This analogy is one I like to use to explain a concept called metabolic flexibility. It's exactly how it sounds, how flexible can the metabolism be in shifting from one energy source to another for fuel? In this case, the introduction of too many fats in the diet caused a "roadblock" inside the blood vessels, which could be proven fatal in some cases. With a traffic jam, the toll booths (mitochondria) can't process the backlog of vehicles (the overwhelming fatty acid and glucose intake), which can lead to oxidative stress and inflammatory signals (road rage), or possibly deadly accidents on the road (atherosclerosis or other metabolic diseases). The body's leading traffic manager (insulin, a metabolic hormone) tries to clear the glucose fast lane by pushing those cars into the toll booths (cells), but when the booths are backed up by slow-moving fat cars, the glucose traffic backs up in the blood vessels. This can lead to a condition known as insulin resistance.
Slow-moving vehicles (fats) have a few more pit stops to go through than the fast-moving cars in order to get to their destination. In the digestive system, fats travel through the small intestine and are turned into fatty acids with the help of bile. Those slow cars (fatty acids) then have to travel to different gas stations and checkpoints (the liver). The liver has a unique role in the body, since it transforms the fatty acids into either blood cholesterol or usable energy in the form of ketones. Some cholesterol is important for the transport of substances in and out of cells. Ketones, specifically beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), are an incredible source of fuel. BHB is unique because it's also a potent signaling molecule that helps the brain's control tower remain calm by actively reducing neuroinflammation.[5] This mechanism promotes psychological stability and an optimistic outlook, directly tying BHB to a better mood.[6] When these slow-moving cars finally reach the toll booth (mitochondria), those ketones are exchanged for ATP, the same energy source that glucose provides. BHB tends to be a more stable energy source and can be more efficient and stable than the ones exchanged for glucose.
When the nervous system is under duress and in sympathetic dominance, the brain physically cannot operate at the capacity it needs to solve the issue at hand. Stress signals from the brain can look vastly different in different populations, which manifests in the form of stress, intense energy fluctuation, mental fog, and, in severe cases, can lead to chronic conditions like high blood pressure, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, and more. Ultimately, it becomes an issue of the sheer volume of both glucose and fats in the system, which can cause nervous system and general health concerns.
When the brain experiences those stress symptoms, it is common to essentially fall into a glucose-reliance trap. The traffic jam essentially forces the body to rely solely on glucose for quick energy, but that cycle is unsustainable. As I continue with this section, I want to make an important distinction. The fast-moving car, glucose, is essential for so many body-brain functions and shouldn't be entirely replaced by alternative energy sources like supplemental ketone bodies, specifically salt-based BHB, which I highly recommend as a daily regimen. Glucose is best managed with weightlifting and the intent to gain strength and muscle size, as well as specific dietary habits.[2] The body's glucose demand will be higher in those who exercise more regularly than in those who do not, as stronger, larger muscle tissue requires more glucose for energetic and mechanical output than smaller, weaker muscle tissue.[3]
With any highway and traffic pattern, there are nuances to the actions of different drivers, pedestrians, and law enforcers that will react differently in every city, state, country, and nation, or in other words, body. Some may have more efficient genetics that allow their bodies to operate more efficiently. However, this does not automatically allow anyone to discredit their own body and attempt to get healthy and give up thinking it's just too hard. There are always actionable steps that allow anyone and everyone to succeed in their health journeys.
The key takeaway from the Metabolic Highway is that control over your health is control over your traffic flow. It's not about losing body fat, it's not about cutting out carbs, it's all about steady, adequate flow. Congestion in the system can overwhelm the toll booths and lead to physical and mental stress. Empower your traffic managers by strengthening their bodies with resistance training, cardiovascular activity, and a variety of foods that provide them with enough energy, hormonal support, and muscle protein synthesis. BHB Supercars can help enhance their ability to switch fuel sources and maintain central nervous system function seamlessly. If you are curious to learn how you can assist your personal Metabolic Highway, contact me about joining my affordable fitness and neuroscience community. It's filled with ever-growing resources and regular video calls that help you take control.
Read more from Ethan Hutcheson
Ethan Hutcheson, Neuroscience and Fitness Coach
Ethan Hutcheson is a performance coach and thought leader at the intersection of fitness and neuroscience. With a background in both neuroscience and personal training, Ethan helps individuals rewire their psychology while optimizing their physical health. His unique approach blends evidence-based brain practices with results-driven fitness strategies, leading to transformative, purposeful outcomes. Ethan’s work has gained recognition for bridging the gap between mind and body in a practical, accessible way. As a contributor to BRAINZ Magazine, he shares insights designed to empower others with the tools to train smarter, think clearly, and live stronger.
References:
[1] Colberg, S. R., Sigal, R. J., Yardley, J. E., Riddell, M. C., Dunstan, D. W., Dempsey, P. C., Horton, E. S., Castorino, K., & Tate, D. F. (2016). Physical activity/exercise and diabetes: a Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care, 39(11), 2065–2079.Click here.
[2] Merz, K. E., & Thurmond, D. C. (2020). Role of Skeletal Muscle in Insulin Resistance and Glucose Uptake. Comprehensive Physiology, 10(3), 785–809. Click here.
[3] Koopman, R., Manders, R. J. F., Zorenc, A. H. G., Hul, G. B. J., Kuipers, H., Keizer, H. A., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2005). A single session of resistance exercise enhances insulin sensitivity for at least 24 h in healthy men. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 94(1-2), 180–187. Click here.
[4] Lutas, A., & Yellen, G. (2013). The ketogenic diet: metabolic influences on brain excitability and epilepsy. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(1), 32–40. Click here.
[5] Shimazu, T., Hirschey, M. D., Newman, J., He, W., Shirakawa, K., Le Moan, N., Grueter, C. A., Lim, H., Saunders, L. R., Stevens, R. D., Newgard, C. B., Farese, R. V., de Cabo, R., Ulrich, S., Akassoglou, K., & Verdin, E. (2012). Suppression of Oxidative Stress by -Hydroxybutyrate, an Endogenous Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor. Science, 339(6116), 211–214. Click here.
[6] Naofumi Kajitani, Iwata, M., Miura, A., Kyohei Tsunetomi, Takehiko Yamanashi, Matsuo, R., Nishiguchi, T., Fukuda, S., Nagata, M., Midori Shibushita, Yamauchi, T., Pu, S., Yukihiko Shirayama, Watanabe, K., & Kaneko, K. (2020). Prefrontal cortex infusion of beta‐hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, produces antidepressant‐like effects in a rodent model of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, 40(2), 157–165. Click here.
